Lakewood Ranch's Sisterhood for Good takes center stage

Its fundraiser at the Players Centre for Performing Arts in Sarasota raises money for its grant program.

It was an interesting thing to hear, especially from Sisterhood for Good founder Angela Massaro-Fain, who was attending a special event at The Players Centre April 13 in Sarasota.

Massaro-Fain, who was attending "Funny Girls and Pearls," a fundraiser for her Giving Circle organization of the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund, said Sisterhood for Good is a "no-drama group."

Sisterhood for Good's Michelle Bianchi, Wanda Martinetto, Kathy Fraley, Kathy Collums and Angela Massaro-Fain pose with the necklace being auctioned off to raise money for charity.

That came right before the members were heading into the theater to watch "Funny Girl."

Actually, the most drama on the night had to do with who would win the pearl necklace crafted by Barb McSweeney Jewelry and donated for the fundraiser. McSweeney also had her line of jewelry for sale before the event sand she donated 25% of all sales back to Sisterhood for Good.

Massaro-Fain was confident Sisterhood for Good would raise approximately $5,000 from the event, with all the proceeds going into the group's grant fund before being returned to the community.

The reason Massaro-Fain said her group involves little drama is because the group only meets four times a year and holds four fundraisers a year.

"You can be part of a philanthropic group without an enormous amount of energy," she said.

A good example of that is Michelle Bianchi, the managing director and CEO of The Players, has an enormous schedule as she raises funds for the $30 million theater complex planned for the new Waterside Place neighborhood in Lakewood Ranch. She found time, however, to join Sisterhood for Good, which has 65 members and has a goal of 100 members.

"My first Sisterhood meeting was last May," Bianchi said. "There was a fun energy."

Massaro-Fain said it was an opportunity to see a terrific show while also allowing the community to hear from Bianchi and The Players Artistic Director Jeffery Kin about the new theater complex coming to Lakewood Ranch.

The Players CEO and Managing Director Michelle Bianchi shows off her pearls during the "Funny Girls & Pearls" event.